everything that took his
fancy, finishing off with a cigarette.

The sultan smiled his satisfaction as he sat at the head of the table,
eating little himself, but giving instructions from time to time to his
slaves that they should hand fruit and other delicacies to the guests
that were near him.

The various officers followed the doctor's example, telling one another
that they could not be far wrong if they imitated their medical guide.
The only one who did not seem to enjoy his meal was Mr Linton, who felt
worried, he hardly knew why, about their position.

Now that he was away from the residency, an undefined sense of trouble
had come upon him, and he could not help feeling how helpless they must
be if the Malays turned against them. Certainly they were all
well-armed, and could make a brave fight, perhaps win their way back;
but if they did, he felt sure that something would have gone wrong at
the island.

The preparations for the fresh start chased away his forebodings, and
the packing having been rapidly performed, soldier, sailor, and Malay
were soon in motion, the long train winding its way through the dense
jungle, with the rattan panniers and howdahs of the elephants brushing
the lush verdure on either side.

The morning was deliciously cool, and as they went on and on through the
forest shades, where at every turn something bright and beautiful met
their gaze, the whole party were in the highest spirits; and the
discipline only being kept tight, as to the order in which they marched,
the men laughed and talked, sang and smoked, and seemed to be thoroughly
enjoying themselves.

And certainly it would have moved the spirit of the most cankered
denizen of a city to see the beauty of the parasites that clustered and
hung from tree to tree. The orchids were of the most brilliant colours;
and now and then they passed a lake or pool in the depths of the jungle
which would be covered in places with the flower of the lotus, while in
every sunny opening the great clusters of nepenthes--the pitcher plant--
brightened the scene.

These latter delighted the Jacks amazingly, and not being allowed to
break their ranks, they sent the Malays near them to pick anything that
took their fancy. These "monkey cups," as they called them, were
constantly picked ostensibly for the purpose of supplying the sailors
with a drink, for each contained more or less water; but it was never
drunk, for in each there were generally